TBS-Spot2
Tbilisi Intl. Airport – Spotting Guide
- last modified on July 31, 2026
Tbilisi Intl. Airport (TBS/UGTB) is the main gateway to Georgia. It was built in 1952 roughly 15km out of Tbilisi city itself and handles 3,7 million passenger a year nowadays. Apart from local carriers such as Georgian Airlines or MyWay Airlines, you can also see some common operators like Turkish Airlines, but there are also rare movements here, thanks to local Asian carrier, for example Buta E190, Iran Aseman B734 or Uzbekistan A320. Additionally, TBS is also a great spot to get the GeoSky B742s during their stop enroute from Asia to Europe and back. Old soviet aircraft types are rare in the plane sector while you may see some old helicopters though.
Pictures and Information provided by Damian Verwey, Jakob Lienau, Andrew and Vakhtang “Vato” Mumladze (Follow him on Instagram). Last Update: July 2026, Spot 1 removed
| Rating | |
| Movements |  |
| Airline Variety | |
| Photo Locations |  |
| Weather |  |
| Airport Information | |
| Runways | |
| 13R/31L | 3000m |
| 13L/31R | 2500m — CLOSED, used as taxiway |
| Terminals | |
| T1 | There is one terminal handling all operations. |
| Spotting Information | |
| Ladder | Not recommended at all, neither to hang at the fence. |
| Car/Public Transport | A car is very useful, but you can also get to the spots by bus/taxi, just getting back can be tricky then. Distances are okay though for walking by foot as well. |
| Drinks/Food | There are no shops/restaurants around spots 2/3. So rather bring everything you need with you in advance. |
| Hotels | No spotter hotels around. |
| Season | Summer is hot and hazy, winter has no perfect weather. Spring/Autumn are best. |
| Security | The situation of aviation, airport and plane photography in Georgia is highly disputed. Plane spotting is actually sort of prohibited in Tbilisi – in Batumi it is okay for example! This may be as it is especially forbidden to photograph military territory, which the airport of Tbilisi somehow is. Thus you might be send away by the police here as taking photos of airplanes is not really tolerated.
Locals are working on a good relationship to the airport to become somehow authorized with permissions. But for now, we recommend to get in touch with local spotters like: for example Vakhtang “Vato” Mumladze (IG: Avia24_photovideo), he is very helpful when it comes to foreign visitors! Thanks again for his support who helped us setting up this guide! However you go: it is important and recommended to keep a low profile here. So don’t use a ladder and put your camera back into your bag immediately after taking the picture. |
| Runway Usage | |
| General Info | The aircraft fly in from both directions, so be prepared for runway changes as traffic is also not that much. Especially the GeoSky 742s are free to use the direction of favour regarding their destination. |
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|---|---|
| WHERE | Update July 2026: due to the expansion of the terminal, this location became unavailable. |
| WHAT | |
| TIME | |
| MISC. | |
| FOCAL LENGTH | |
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Spot #2 – Hill – 13/31 Movements |
|---|---|
| WHERE | On a small hill next to a residental house southeast of the airport is the next spot located. Either take your own car here or get a taxi to this location. The ride from the terminal takes about 5 minutes. The hill cannot be missed, but that’s why stay down at the bottom till you really wanna photograph something and just go up then. Do not camp on the hill all the time as you are easy to see! |
| WHAT | Actually all runway movements: 31 arrivals and line-ups/backtracks plus also heavy 13 arrivals/roll outs and departures. |
| TIME | Depends on which movement, but best from sunrise till early noon. |
| MISC. | Haze is an issue due to the distance in summer. Literally no shadow around, take everything you need with you. Keep a low profile! Airport security otherwise may come, check your ID and send you away! Stay down at the bottom and only go up for the spotting itself! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100-400mm |
 |
Spot #3 – Besarion Keburia Settlement IV – 13R Arrivals |
|---|---|
| WHERE | This spot is located off the northwestern end of the airfield on a small, dead end field road southwest of a settlement/residental area. Just head for the position marked on the map, maybe best to take the street (leading to some airport infrastructure facilities outside of the airportfence) down the fence out of the residental area. Recommended way to get here is by own car via Besarion Keburia Settlement IV Dead End or take the bus running thru the settlement with various stops. |
| WHAT | From here you can spot 13 arrivals. |
| TIME | Early noon till early evening as the sun will be more behind the aircraft during sunset. |
| MISC. | Nothing around! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 50-250mm |
 |
Spot #4 – Hills – 31 movements |
|---|---|
| WHERE | The sept is a desolate dusty area with small hills where you can spot from! You can move along, parallel to the fence for your best angle but don’t go too close to the fence! Getting there is a bit complicated as there is no official roads and the dirt roads are in bad shape. Fastest way is from the terminal to spot 2 and from there continue on the dirt roads.
You can get there by bus 330 from Isani metro station that goes to the Veli cemetery, from where you can walk to the spot in 15-20 minutes. Might be a bit adventurous. |
| WHAT | You can photograph landings and even take-offs on RWY 31L. |
| TIME | Early noon till early evening as the sun will be more behind the aircraft during sunset. In summer it gets very uncomfortable and there is a lot of heat haze. |
| MISC. | Absolutely nothing around! Bring your own food, especially water. Be caution for security staff or police as the area is known for drug dealings!! DO NOT GO NEAR THE FENCE AS POLICE WILL BE ALARMED!! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 150mm for B747 and 280mm for A321 |
 |
Spot #5 – Terminal – Ramp |
|---|---|
| WHERE | When you fly from TBS you can spot through the windows in the gate area once you have passed security checks. There are even windows to the west side, so to spot 1 and the B742 parking position. |
| WHAT | All ramp movements in front of the terminal. |
| TIME | Only in the early morning or in the night as nightshots. |
| MISC. | There are several restaurants and cafes inside the terminal aswell as toilets. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 738=80mm; A223=40mm |
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Spot #6 – Hills – 13R arrivals, 31L departures |
|---|---|
| WHERE | Another hill where you can spot from. Getting there is a bit complicated as there is no official roads and the dirt roads are in bad shape. Fastest way is from the terminal to spot 3 and from there continue on the dirt roads and the factory.
You can get there by bus 330 from Isani metro station that goes to the Veli cemetery, from where you can walk to the spot in 15-20 minutes. Might be a bit adventurous. |
| WHAT | 13R Arrivals and 31L Departures |
| TIME | Early noon till early evening as the sun will be more behind the aircraft during sunset. In summer it gets very uncomfortable and there is a lot of heat haze. |
| MISC. | Absolutely nothing around! Bring your own food, especially water. Be caution for security staff or police as the area is known for drug dealings!! DO NOT GO NEAR THE FENCE AS POLICE WILL BE ALARMED!! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100-400mm 733 ground = 180mm, A310 = 280mm |
Seems spot 1 is gone now, they are extending the terminal and in the parking lot they have put up wooden boards. I do have some photos to show
Thanks, adjusted.
Sev